The present application relates to a method and wound dressing for promoting epidermal resurfacing of wounds which involves the use of bacitracin zinc.
Bacitracin is a polypeptide antibiotic produced by the Tracy-I strain of Bacillus subtilis. Bacitracin zinc is the zinc salt of the antibiotic.
It is known to utilize bacitracin zinc in dermatological ointments in combination with other antibiotics to treat topical skin infections such as infected burns, skin grafts, surgical incisions, otitis externa, primary pyoderma, secondary infected dermatoses and infected traumatic lesions. The ointment is also recommended for prophylactic use to prevent infection of minor injuries which could retard healing.
The known ointments, such as Neosporin.RTM., contain about 400 units of bacitracin zinc, with a potency of not less than 40 units per mg, per gram of ointment. Thus, known ointments contain less than about 1% bacitracin zinc.